They won't sleep in the coop at night with the other hens!

[MaryLovesChickens]

My two RIRs (6-months old last week and NO EGGS YET!!!) refuse to sleep with their flock mates in the coop at night. Instead, those two sisters fly up and sleep on my privacy fence each night rather than go into the comfy, lovely coop that the other hens go into every night! Now, when the RIRs were baby chicks, their former pen & coop was right next to that privacy fence, so maybe that location is just so ingrained in them that they can't bear to sleep in the other coop which is on the other side of the yard? FYI: all my hens are free range, don't know if that makes a difference. Explanation anyone? Any Suggestions for getting them to move into/sleep in that coop so I can "lock" them in there at night to be safe from late night beasts that might wander on our property?

Any and all suggestions greatly appreciated!

 

[kla37]

Could you try moving them when they are sleeping at night?

 

[MaryLovesChickens]

you know, I was going to try that on several occasions but every time I came close to them while they're on that fence, they wake up, stand up and look at me and squawk a bit nervously...doesn't that mean they're wide awake and not the docile, sleepy, easy to handle things they're supposed to be at night time?

 

[NottinghamChicks]

I guess my questions are how big is the coop, how many chickens in there together, and how is the ventillation? They should want to be with the others if the coop is not overcrowded and their is plenty of ventillation. I would fix any potential issues and put them in yourself at dusk. Perhaps a contained run attached to the coop so they have no choice. The fact that they were housed near there previously should have nothing to do with it so look at some potential issues that may need fixing.

Good Luck

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Quote:
Is it dark out when you approach them?

Do you have a yard light? - these make just enough light that chickens can respond to a large moving object

Do you use a flashlight? - if so, use the light to find the girls from a distance then turn the light out then approach the chickens. Pick first one up and place in the coop, then the other.